In the beginning
by MyAmbrosia
Summary: Hermione gets her letter to Hogwarts, and it's the first day of the rest of her life. Please R&R.


**Disclaimer: the following story only exists thanks to the lovely and talented J.K. Rowling**

**This is my first fan fiction story so please read and review. It's only a oneshot for now, but I might change that later if I get good feedback. So let me know what you think. Thanks!**

The house at 921 Gerrard Crescent was the neatest house on the street

The house at 921 Gerrard Crescent was the neatest house on the street. The lawn was perfectly manicured, the hedges carefully pruned, and the trimming freshly painted. Looking at this house one might suppose that it's owners were the sort of people who believed that rules and guidelines kept the world in order. And in the case of the Grangers that assumption would be correct.

Tom and Belinda Granger were a middle class couple who lived a perfectly middle class life. They were both dentists who had met and begun dating during their 3rd year in dental school. After what seemed like the appropriate amount of time Tom had proposed, and he and Belinda had been married that spring. They had moved to Brentwood, where Belinda had taken up gardening, and Tom bowling. In their fourth year of marriage they had been blessed with a beautiful baby girl, who was their pride and joy. They named her, Hermione.

Hermione sat at the window of her second story bedroom and stared out at the garden below. It was hard to believe that summer was halfway over and she had hardly done anything. That was the problem with being the smartest girl in your year: no one wanted to make plans with you over the summer. All the kids probably thought that all she liked to do was read and study. Thinking of this, Hermione looked down at the book in her hand and sighed.

She tried to make friends; really she did, but she had always had a tendency to be slightly bossy. That combined with her intelligence, served to make her the social outcast of the class. Of course it didn't help that strange things always seemed to be happening around Hermione. There was the time that Johnny Wheeler had been picking on her, and suddenly his pants had turned into a short pink skirt. That one had been a pretty good one, everybody at school had laughed at him for month. But then there was the time that her mom had yelled at her for getting a bad grade on a test, and then had suddenly fallen over backwards sound asleep. That time hadn't been as funny. The doctors at the hospital had been seriously concerned about her mother's health, and they'd all had a good scare. However, the doctors hadn't found anything, and life went back to normal in the Granger household. Or at least as normal as it ever was.

However, Hermione couldn't help feeling that she was somehow to blame for these strange events. She knew she was being stupid; things like magic didn't really exit. She should know too, she'd done enough research on it at the library. Yet somehow, her suspicions remained.

She wasn't really looking forward to starting at Brentwood's senior school next year. It wasn't that Hermione didn't appreciate the school; they did have a very good library, and the classes and professors were very qualified. In fact the classes themselves were rather enjoyable. It was just that Hermione wanted her world to change. She was tired of seeing the same girls every year, she was tired of people whispering about her in the hallways, she was tired of sitting alone in the library at lunch, but most of all she was just tired of Brentwood. The town was boring, and Hermione was tired of being bored.

Just then her eye caught something moving in the garden below. She looked down to see a strange old man with long white hair and an even longer beard. He was wearing what appeared to be odd flowing periwinkle blue robes, and he was walking up the garden path. She stared curiously at the man as he stopped in front of the door and knocked loudly. Dropping her book Hermione stood up and dashed down the stairs toward the front door. She reached the landing just as her mother was opening the door.

The man looked even stranger up close. His beard was so long that he had tucked it into a gold cord that was tied around his waist. He was wearing weird half-moon spectacles on a slightly crooked nose. However, despite all this Hermione felt a strange liking for the man; perhaps it was his bright twinkling blue eyes that seemed to match the color of his robes perfectly, or maybe it was the cheery wink he gave her when he saw her at the door. He smiled beamingly at them and said, "Mrs. Granger I presume? Allow me to introduce myself. I am Albus Dumbledore, and I believe I may have some very interesting news for you and your family." He extended his hand cordially to shake, but Hermione's mother was so shocked by his appearance that she was only able to stare at it in consternation.

Undaunted, Dumbledore said, "I was wondering if you would be so kind as to invite me in. I have had a rather long journey, and I somehow find that all news seems more fascinating over a cup of strong tea." Without waiting for a reply Dumbledore swept right past them and into the near by sitting room. At this point, Tom Granger entered the hallway; no doubt wondering whom his wife could be talking to. On sight of her husband however, Belinda Granger seemed to recover from her shock, and stomped into the sitting room.

"Excuse me," she exclaimed angrily, "but would you be so kind as to explain what you are doing in my house?"

"Of course!" Dumbledore replied with a smile, "but you may want to sit down first, and have some tea." He gestured at a tea set that had somehow appeared on the table in front of him. "You too Mr. Granger," he said with his eyes lighting on Hermione's father.

Hermione watched as both her parents subsided into shock once again at the sight of this strange man who was seemingly making himself at home in their sitting room, and offering them mysteriously appearing tea. They merely stared at him in stunned surprise. Seeing this Hermione decided to take the lead, and ask this Albus Dumbledore some questions of her own.

"Um, excuse me Mr. Dumbledore Sir, but what exactly do you do?" Hermione enquired timidly taking a seat directly across from him.

"I am a headmaster at my school: Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied smiling kindly at her. "In fact it is on Hogwarts business that I am here today." He looked up at her mother and father and said, "We'd like to offer Hermione the opportunity to study at our school."

Hermione saw her parents visibly relax. The fact that this strange man was here on such a normal errand seemed to calm them considerably. They both slowly lowered themselves onto a nearby sofa, and Hermione's mother smiled tentatively.

Dumbledore reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a think parchment envelope. "This is for you," he said handing it to Hermione. Hermione took the envelope uncertainly and looked at the emerald green address in wonder:

_Ms. H. Granger_

_2__nd__ Story Bedroom _

_921 Gerrard Crescent _

_Brentwood _

_Essex _

Turning it over in awe Hermione saw that an ornate wax seal was stamped on the back of the enveloped. There was a badger, an eagle, a lion, and a snake all surrounding a large letter _H_. Hermione looked up at Dumbledore, who gave her a small nod, and then she slowly cracked open the envelope.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

_of _WITCHCRAFT _and _WIZARDRY

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

_(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)_

Dear Ms. Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall,

_Deputy Headmistress_

Hermione stared at the letter dumbfounded. This had to be a joke. There were no such things as witches and wizards. There were no special schools for them. They didn't exist. Hermione opened her mouth, an angry remark on her lips, but what came out instead was, "Is there really a school for magic?"

Dumbledore smiled, but before he could reply Hermione's father spoke. "I'm sorry but what is this? I hardly think that we are going to let our daughter attend some school for magician's trickery. She is far too talented for that."

"Exactly," Dumbledore replied. "In fact she is much more talented than you know. Your daughter has been chosen to attend our school for her extreme aptitude in magic."

"This is madness," Belinda Granger declared; she leaned over and snatched the letter out of Hermione's hands, perusing it quickly. "You really expect us to believe that our daughter has some sort of supernatural ability?"

"Yes," said Dumbledore calmly, "I do." Turning to Hermione he asked, "Ms. Granger, have you ever noticed that you've been able to make strange things happen when you were either scared or angry?"

"Well, I…yes," said Hermione wonderingly, "but I just thought I must have been going crazy. It seems almost too extraordinary to believe."

"It is indeed true, and at Hogwarts you will be able to study with other young witches and wizards from across the country, and of course you will be properly trained in all manner of spells, and enchant-"

"And what happens if we say no?" Tom interrupted. "What happens if we don't let our daughter attend this crackpot school of yours? What happens if I demand you to leave my house right now and not to come bothering my family ever again?"

"Well of course I cannot force you to do anything," Dumbledore replied seriously. "However, I would strongly urge you to reconsider, for your own sakes. As she gets older Miss Granger's power will continue to grow, and without proper guidance it would be very hard for her to control. An untrained wizard is a dangerous thing; I know this from experience."

Hermione thought she saw something extremely sorrowful in the headmaster's gaze. However, it quickly disappeared as Dumbledore stood up and reached into his robes, pulling out a long thin stick of wood. He waved it quickly over the table, and the tea set in front of him seemed to compress in on itself until it became just a small block of what appeared to be blue china.

"Expanding tea sets!" Dumbledore exclaimed as he pocketed the small cube. "Amazing inventions." Then giving them all a parting smile he swept from the room.

Hermione's parents stared dumbfounded at the place where Dumbledore had stood, but Hermione rushed after him. She didn't stop to think about what she was doing. The only thing Hermione could think of at that moment was that finally something exciting was happening in her life, and she was not about to let this opportunity slip away.

"Wait! Mr. Dumbledore! Sir!" Hermione called as she rushed after him. She caught up to him just as he was reaching the front door. "Wait! I believe you," she exclaimed, "I really do think there must be wizards and witches, and I want to go to your school!"

"Excellent!" Dumbledore said, beaming at her. "I will send your owl at once." Then reaching once again into the seemingly endless folds of his robes he pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill. As he waved his wand the quill began to move across the paper. Hermione looked on in amazement at the short note the quill was writing, and read:

_To Whom It May Concern:_

_Hermione Granger has announced her desire to attend Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We should expect her arrival on September 1, at the start of term. _

_Sincerely, _

_Albus Dumbledore_

Then opening the door he gave a small whistle, and Hermione was shocked to see a large tawny owl come fluttering down to perch on his arm. With deft skill, Dumbledore attached the note and nudged the owl off his arm and into the air. Hermione watched as the owl soared gracefully out of sight, and then turned to look at Dumbledore and found him looking intently at her. "Now that that's done perhaps we should tell your parents about your decision," he said smiling gently. "I have a lot of information to give them."


End file.
